Luggage carrier



Oct. 2, 1934. J, RITTER, JR 1,975,292

LUGGAGE CARRIER A Filed Nov. 25, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 2, 1934 TENT FFICE LUGGAGE CARRIER `ulius Ritter, Jr.,Racine, Wis., assigner to Hartmann Trunk Company, Racine, Wis., acorporation of Wisconsin Application November 25, 1933, Serial No.699,703

1i) Claims.

This invention relates in general to improvements in the constructionand operation of luggage carriers of the type wherein one or moregarments may be readily'and effectively packed and concealed within acarrier case.

Generally defined, an object of this invention is to provide an improvedluggage carrier for garments such as ladiesdresses or mens suits, whichis simple and compact in construction, and which Y is moreover highlyeffective in use.

It hasheretofore been proposed to provide a luggage carrier consistingof hingedly connected main and cover sections and having within thecover section a set of fixtures for folding and storing a plurality ofgarments. In one of these prior luggage carriers, the garment supportingfixtures comprised a plurality ofgarment carrier bars removably mountedin an elongated bracket which was pivotally but removably supportedwithin the cover section, and a garment folding frame independently andpermanently pivotally supported in the cover section and cooperable withthe bracket so-as to fold the garments carried by the bars and tosimultaneously rotate the bracket when the frame was swung intothecover. This particular prior device forms the subject of copendingapplication Serial No. 651,264, filed Januay 12, 1933, Patent No.Y1,947,227 Feb. r13, 1934, and while the assemblageof elements operatesquite satisfactorily, it is also relatively complicated by virtue of therotation of the bar carrier bracket directly by the swinging movement ofthe frame whereby areleasable motion transmitting connection between theframe and bracket is required.

The present invention therefore contemplates the provision of a simpler,more compact and conveniently manipulable set of fixtures for luggagecarrier cases ofthe above describedtype, whereby a durable assemblagemay be produced at'minimum cost.' Y f Another object of `the presentinvention is to pro-vide an improved luggage carrier wherein a maximumnumber of relatively delicate garments 45 may be compactly stored infolded condition, without undesirably wrinkling or otherwise harmfullyaffecting the garments.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved garmentfolding and supporting fixture, adapted to neatly store a plurality ofgarments, and to lock the same within a carrier case, while at the sametimepermitting rapid removal of the garments either individually orcollec- 55 tively.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved garmentsupport comprising a bracket and a plurality of garment receiving barsremovably associated with the bracket, wherein the assemblage willalways automatically assume 50 a predetermined position when unloaded,and in which the bars will not fall out of place.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed description.

A clear conception of embodiments of the features constituting thepresent invention and of the mode of constructing and of manipulatingluggage carriers built in accordance therewith, may be had by referringto the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification inwhich like reference characters designate the same or similar parts inthe various views:

Fig. l is a front view of an open luggage carrier case showing thegarment folding frame swung downwardly over themain section of the casepreparatory to loading the garment supporting fixture, the cross-braceof the frame having been broken away for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through 80 the open luggagecarrier case, likewise showing the garment folding frame positioned overthe main section of the case preparatory to loading;

Fig. 3 is a similar vertical section through the open carrier case,showing the garment folding frame swung upwardly into the cover sectionwith garments loaded thereon;

Fig. '4 is an enlarged front View of the garment supporting bracketshowing the garment supporting bars detachably associated therewith;

Fig. 5 is an end View of the `bracket showing the bars therein;

Fig. 6 is an opposite end view of the bracket showing the bars therein;

Fig. '7 isa fragmentary enlarged sectional view 95 of the hinge portionsof the main and cover Vsections of the carrier case, showing the garmentfolding frame swung ldownwardly and also showing the supporting bracketand bars in dot and dashlines, kin normal loading position;

Fig. 8 is av similarly enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the hingeportion of the main and cover sections of the carrier case, showing thefolding frame swung into the cover section and also showing in dot anddash lines, the support- 105 ing .bracket'and bars in positionpreparatory to loading; and

Fig. 9 is a similarly enlarged fragmentary sec-V tion through the coverof the carrier case, showing a top view of a fragment of the foldingframe 110 and also showing in dot and dash lines, a top View of thegarment supporting frame and bars.

While the invention has been shown and de scribed herein as beingapplied by way of illustration, to a relatively small and light luggagecarrier for ladies garments, it should be apparent that some of thenovel features are more generally applicable to other types and classesof luggage carriers.

The improved luggage carrier specifically shown in the drawingscomprises in general a carrier case consisting of a main section 15having a cover section 16 pivotally attached thereto by means of ahingle 17; and a garment folding and carrying fixture of improvedconstruction mounted entirely within the cover section 16 of the case.

The main section 15 of the carrier case may be provided with the usualcarrying handle 18 and the cover section 16 may be swung into engagementwith the main section 15 and locked thereto by means of the usuallatches 19. The cover section 16 when open, is normally held insubstantially upright position by means of retainers 20 of ordinaryconstruction, and the main section may be additionally provided withpartitions if so desired.

The improved garment folding and supporting fixture comprises generallya garment folding frame 21 permanently and swingably supported by meansof pivots 22 upon the side walls of the cover section 16 near the mainhinge 17 and having an integral transverse garment folding rod 23connecting the side members of the frame 21 remote from the pivots 22;and a plurality of similar garment carrier bars 24 detachably associatedwith a supporting bracket 25 which is independently and removablypivotally supported in sockets 26 also secured to the side walls of thecover section near the pivots 22.

The garment folding frame 21 is shown in detail in Figs. 7 to 9inclusive, and may be constructed of metal and has U-shaped formation,the medial portions of the side frames being inter-connected between thebar 23 and the pivots 22, by one or more braces 27. The only functionperformed by the frame 21 is to fold the garments intermediate theirends, and the crossbrace 27 serves the dual function of stifening theframe and of preventing the garments from sagging through the framebefore being finally loa-ded within the cover section.

The supporting sockets 26 for the bracket 25, are likewise preferablyformed of metal and have slots which open away from the hinged side ofthe cover section 16. The supporting bracket 25 is shown in detail inFigs. 4, 5 and 6, and comprises a pair of spaced side walls 28, 29rigidly interconnected by cross members 30. The side wall 28 Aof thebracket 25 has therein an elongated opening 3l having closed oppositeends, and the other side wall 29 has therein a similar opening 32 oneend of which is closed and the opposite end of which is open. Theopening 32 has a widened portion 33 near the open end thereof, and theWall 29 has rounded projections 34 which form detente on the oppositeside of the main opening 32 as clearly shown in Fig. 6. The bracket wall29 also has an outwardly bent upper end portion 35 which provides anupper open end for the slot 32, through which the adjacent ends of thebars 24 are removable as illustrated in Fig. 4. Each of the side walls28, 29 of the bracket 25, is also provided with an integral lug 36, andthese lugs are adapted to be inserted within the pivot sockets 26through the narrow slots 37 formed in the upper portions of the socketsas shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. When the bracket lugs 36 have been thusinserted within the sockets 26, the bracket 25 is freely rotatablewithin the circular openings of the sockets, and since the major portionof the weight of the bracket 25 is always below the pivotal axis, thebracket will automatically tend to rotate and to assume an uprightposition as disclosed in Figs. 5 and 6, at all times during displacementof the cover section 16. While the bracket 25 is freely verticallyremovable from within the sockets 26 when the cover section is open asin Figs. 7 and 8, as soon as the bracket 25 is rotated either due toloading of the fixture or by closing the case, the bracket will beautomatically locked within the pivot sockets 26 by virtue of themovement of the lugs 36 out of alinement with the slots 37, and the bars24 will also be simultaneously locked within the bracket when the openupper end of the slot 32 approaches the interior of the cover. Thebracket 25 may also be provided with a hook 38 which is normallydisposed as shown in solid lines in Fig. 4, but which may be adjusted tothe dotand-dash position in order to permit hanging of the bracket 25and bars 24 as a unit upon a hook when removed from the carrier case.The removable garment carrier bars 25 may be formed of wood and havereduced end portions 39 adapted to coact with the side wall slots 31, 32Vso as to prevent rotation of the bars relative to the bracket 25, whilepermitting free removal of the bars whenever desirable.

The luggage carrier may furthermore be provided with a garmentprotecting and confining flap 40 made of fabric, one end of which ispermanently attached to the interior of the cover section 16 near themain hinge 17, and the opposite end of which is freely movable and has acatch 41 adjustably associated therewith. The catch 41 is cooperablewith a hook 42 permanently secured within the swinging end of the coversection 16, in order to confine the fixture and the garments associatedtherewith, within the cover section 16 as shown in Fig. 3. The mainsection 15 of the carrier case may also be provided with stop blocks 43secured to the inner portions of the side walls thereof as shown inFigs. 1, 2 and 3, in order to limit the forward and downward swingingmotion of the folding frame 21.

When it is desired to load the improved luggage carrier with garments,the individual garments may first be folded over the carrier bars 24which may then be inserted in the elongated slots 31, 32 of the bracket25, in stacked relationship, as shown in Fig. 2. Such insertion of thebars within the bracket slots may be effected either while the bracket25 is hanging on the hook 38, or while it is disposed within the luggagecarrier case as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the bracket 25 is thusdisposed'within the luggage carrier case, this bracket will assume anupright position and will therefore permit free insertion or removalboth of the bars 24 and of the entire bracket 25. After the lugs 36 ofthe bracket 25 have been disposed within the sockets`26 and the bars 24have been inserted within the bracket 25 as shown in Fig. 2, thegarments may be arranged as shown sothat the free ends of the garmentswill extend over the handle portion of the main section 15. The frame 21may then be swung upwardly away from thestop blocks 43 to the positionshown in Fig. 3, whereuponthe rod 23 becomes effective to fold thegarments midway between the bars 24 and the free-ends of the garments.As the garments become taut due to the upward swinging movement of thebar 23, the bracket 25 will be swung into the position shown in Fig. 3whereupon the several bars 24 will be locked 'against displacement fromwithin the slots 31, 32 and the free `ends of the garments will swinginto the cover with the frame 21 so as to compactly fold the entiregarments and to conne the same entirely within the cover section 16.-The nap '4S may subsequently be positioned as .shown in Fig. 3 with thecatch 41 engaging the hook 42, thus completing the loading operation andpreventing-subsequent displacement of the garments from within the coversection 16 when the same is swung downwardly.

In order to effect subsequent removal of one Or more of the garments, itis rst necessary to remove the flap 40 and to-swing the folding frame 21downwardly toward the lugs 43. When this has been done, either theentire bracket'25 together with the bars and garments carried thereby,may be removed from within the sockets 26, or as an alternative, theindividual bars-24 may be removed from the confining slots 31, 32without necessarily removing the entire bracket. It lwill be noted thatwhen the cover section 16 has been swung away from the main section 15,and the folding frame 21 has been swung forwardly, the bracket 25 willautomatically assume upright position so as to permit free removal ofthe bars 24, such automatic positioning of the bracket being due to thelocation of the lugs 36 above the center of gravity of the structure.The formation of the side wall 29 of the bracket 25 with the projections34, effectively prevents the bars 24 from being accidentally displaced,but

,the detents adjoining the projections 34 do not interfere with freeintentional removal of the bars 24. The formation of the bars 24 and ofthe rod 23, also prevents sharp creasing and possible cutting of frailgarments, and the flap 40 prevents garments from being caught at thehinge 17, thus insuring complete protection of the garments.

From the foregoing description, it will be j apparent that the presentinvention provides a simple, compact and readily manipulable xture forpermitting one or more full length garments to be effectively packed orconned within a container of relatively small dimensions. Theindependent pivoting of the frame 21 and bracket 25 within the coversection, reduces the fixture to its simplest form, and the peculiarconstrue.- tion of the bracket 25 with its pivotal axis above its centerof gravity, always causes the bracket to assume proper loading positionwhen the cover is open, irrespective of the position of the foldingframe 2l. It is also to be noted that the frame 21 functions only tofold the garments which may be removed either individually orcollectively as desired, and independently of the folding frame. Whenthe luggage carrier is finally loaded, all parts are locked in positionagainst possible accidental displacement, and the invention has provenhighly practical in actual use.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact details of construction herein shown and described, forvarious modications within the scope of the claims may occur to personsskilled in the art.

Itis claimed and-desired to-secure by Letters Patent: l 1. A luggagecarrier comprising, hingedly connected main and cover sections, agarment folding frame pivotally connected to one of said sections-andhavingatransverse folding bar movable into and out of said section, anelongated bracket pivotally supported in said section near the pivot ofsaid frame, said bracket being swingable-about its pivotal axisindependently of said frame, and a plurality of garment carrier bars r3-movably associated with bracket, said frame being adapted to foldgarments carried by said bars when said frame is swung into saidsection.

2. A-luggage carriercomprising, hingedly connected main land coversections, a/garment foldingY frame pivotally connected to one of saidsections and having a transverse folding bar movable into and outof'said section, an elongated bracket pivotally supported in saidsection near the pivot ofV said frame, said bracket having its center ofgravity beneath its pivotal axis and being automatically swingable aboutits pivotal axis and independently of said frame by virtue of suchdisposition of the center of gravity, and a plurality l" of garmentcarrier bars removably associated with said bracket, said bars beingremovable from said bracket when saidbracketis in said predeterminedposition and said frame being adapted to fold garments carried by saidbars when said frame is swung into said section.

3. A luggage carrier comprising, hingedly connected main and coversections, a garment folding frame pivotally mounted within said coversection and having a transverse folding bar movable into and outl ofsaid cover section, an elongated bracket pivotally supported in saidcover section near the pivot of said frame, said bracket being swingableabout its pivotal axis independently of said frame, and a plurality ofgarment carrier bars removably associated with said bracket, said framebeing adapted to fold garments carried by said bars when said frame isswung into said cover section.

4. A luggage carrier comprising, hingedly connected main and coversections, a garment folding frame pivotally mounted within said coversection and having a transverse folding bar remote from its pivotmovable into and out of said cover section, an elongated bracketindependently l pivotally supported in said cover section near the pivotof said frame, said bracket having its center of gravity offset from itspivotal axis and being swingable by virtue of such construction aboutits pivotal axis, and a plurality of garment carrier bars removablysupported by said bracket, said frame being adapted to fold garmentscarried by said bars when said frame is swung into said cover section.

5. A luggage carrier comprising, hingedly connected main and coversections, a garment folding frame having a folding bar movable into andout of said cover section, an elongated bracket pivotally supported insaid cover section near the hinge connection between said sections, saidiso able into and out of said section, an elongated bracket freelypivotally suspended within said section near the pivot of said frame,said bracket being swingable about its pivotal axis independently ofsaid frame, and a plurality of garment carrier bars removably mounted insaid bracket, said bars being removable independently of or with saidbracket.

7. A luggage carrier comprising, hingedly connected main and coversections, a garment folding frame pivotally connected to one of saidsections and having a transverse folding bar movable into and out ofsaid section, an elongated bracket pivotally supported in said Sectionnear the pivot of said frame, said bracket being freely swingable aboutits pivotal axis, and a plurality of garment carrier bars removablyassociated with said bracket, said frame being adapted to fold garmentscarried by said bars when said frame is swung into said section and saidbracket being movable by the garments coacting with said frame to locksaid bars within said bracket.

8. A luggage carrier comprising, hingedly connected main and coversections, a garment folding frame pivotally mounted within said coversection and having a transverse folding bar remote from its pivotmovable into and out of said cover section, an elongated bracketpivotally supported in said cover section independently of said frameand near the pivot of the latter, said bracket being freely swingableabout its pivotal axis and being removable only when said cover sectionis in open position, and a plurality of garment carrier bars removablysupported by said bracket, said bars being locked in position whengarments carried thereby are folded by swinging said frame into saidcover section.

9. A luggage carrier comprising, hingedly connected main and coversections, a garment folding frame pivotally connected to one of saidsections and having a transverse folding bar movable toward and awayfrom said section, an elongated bracket pivotally supported in saidsection, said bracket being swingable about its pivotal axisindependently of said frame, and a plurality of garment carrier barsremovably associated with said bracket, said frame being adapted to foldgarments carried by said bars when said frame is swung about its pivot.

10. A luggage carrier comprising, hingedly connected closure sections, agarment folding frame pivotally connected to one of said sections andhaving a transverse folding bar movable in an arc about its pivotalaxis, an elongated bracket pivotally supported in one of said sections,said bracket being swingable about its pivotal axis independently ofsaid frame, and a plurality of garment carrier bars removably associatedwith said bracket, said frame being adapted to fold garments carried bysaid bars when said frame is swung about its pivotal axis.

JULIUS RITTER, JR.

